LUMBER ROOM

QUESTION-ANSWERS
Q1.(a)The aunt decided to send the other three children
to Jagborough as she wanted to punish Nicholas for his
disgraceful behavior at the breakfast table when he had
brought a frog and put it in his bread and milk.
It was her habit that whenever she had to punish any of
the children, she would invent a trip for the rest of them.
She wanted Nicholas to realize his mistake.
ANS 2. (b)Whenever a child was under punishment the
aunt used to organise picnics or something of a festival
nature in which the offender was not allowed to
participate. Thus the offender was made to feel sorry for
his mistake. In this case to punish Nicholas she was
sending the rest of the children to Jagborough.
3. (c)Whenever all the children did something wrong, the
aunt informed them of a circus in the neighbouring town
which was of unrivalled merit , to which they would have
been taken, if they had not behaved disgracefully that day.
4. (d)The aunt wanted Nicholas to feel bad about the fact
that his cousins would be enjoying the afternoon while he
wouldn’t. Nicholas on the other hand knew that they
wouldn’t enjoy as Bobby’s boots were hurting and the girl
cousin had hurt herself while climbing into the carriage.
Nicholas told this to his aunt and thus got the better of
her.
5. fff) Nicholas made frequent trips into the front garden
to mislead his aunt and make her believe that he wanted
to enter the gooseberry garden, whereas his actual plan
was to discover the secret of the lumber room.
The aunt spent time guarding the entrance of the
gooseberry garden because she did not want Nicholas
enjoying his detention time in the gooseberry garden.
6. (g) Nicholas was fascinated with the exhibits of the
lumber room as it was forbidden delight for him. The
mystery of the tapestry picture, depicting the story of a
man hunting a stag, the quaint candlesticks, duck shaped
teapot and brass figures as well as the book of exotic bird
pictures delighted him.
7. (h) No, Nicholas knew that it was his aunt shouting for
help. But being naughty, he wanted to trouble his aunt
further, so he behaved as if he was talking to the evil one
or devil who was trying to mislead him into entering the
forbidden gooseberry garden.
Reference to Context
I. “You often don’t listen, when we tell you important
things.”
Q1. Who was complaining and to whom?
Q2. What did the speaker tell the listener just before that?
Ans 2. Nicholas told his aunt that his cousin, Bobby’s boots
were hurting him as they were too tight so he would not
be having fun at Jagborough.
Q3. Why did the speaker not go with his cousins?
Ans. Nicholas did not go to Jagborough with his cousins as
during breakfast he had put a frog in his bread and milk
and for this he had been punished by his aunt.
II. “You may be the evil one tempting me to be
disobedient.”
Q1. Who said this to whom?
Q2. Why does the speaker call the listener the ‘evil one’?
Ans. Nicholas wanted to take revenge from his aunt for
punishing him. He is very excited at her plight so to tease
her further he wanted her to remain in the rainwater tank
for some more time. So, he acted as if she was the evil one
trying to tempt him to do what he had been forbidden to
do.
III. “ The dramatic part of the incident was that there
really was a frog in Nicholas’ basin of bread and milk”
Q1. When did this incident take place?
Ans. This incident took place when the elders and the
children were having breakfast at the dining table.
Q2. What was the result of the incident?
Ans. The result of this incident was that Nicholas was
punished and could not go with his cousins to the
expedition which his aunt had suddenly planned .
Long Questions
Q1. What all did Nicholas find in the lumber room?
Ans. Nicholas discovered various interesting objects in the
lumber room. He saw a tapestry picture depicting the story
of a man hunting a stag, the quaint candlesticks in the
shape of snakes, a teapot fashioned like a china duck, a
carved sandalwood box packed with aromatic
cotton-wool and brass figures of hump necked bulls,
peacocks and goblins and a black square book of pictures
of exotic birds.
Q2. How did Nicholas spend his time while his cousins
went for the expedition?
Ans. To punish Nicholas a trip had been arranged to
Jagborough without him. He had great fun during this
time.
First he mislead his aunt to make her believe that he
wanted to enter the gooseberry garden, whereas his
actual plan was to discover the secret of the lumber room.
Nicholas was fascinated with the exhibits of the lumber
room as it was forbidden delight for him. The exhibits in
the room delighted him. He saw….. (give details).
Then his aunt fell into the water tank. Though he knew it
was his aunt he acted as if he was talking to the evil one or
devil who was trying to mislead him into entering the
forbidden gooseberry garden. Thus it was a fun filled day
for him.